An 11-story office building projected to be built in Porsgrunn, Norway would take sustainability to another level, as it won’t just make use of green techniques, be Passive House certified, or even reach net-zero standards, but will, instead, actually produce more energy than it uses.
With the fitting name of Powerhouse Telemark, the Norwegian office building is being developed by R8 Properties and designed by Snøhetta to be built and completed by February 2019 at a cost of $17 million, Curbed reports.
The building will combine a roof covered in solar panels with a streamlined, well-insulated design and a series of heat exchangers and heat pumps in order to achieve such a high level of energy performance.
The slanted, diamond-shaped building faces south and is being designed with a 60-year lifespan in mind. Over these 60 years, the architects and designers say the project will generate enough power to completely reimburse the energy cost of construction, production, and material transportation.
The Powerhouse Telemark has been in development for the past 15 months and is scheduled to begin construction later in 2017. Once completed, the developers hope the project will be copied and buildings with similar levels of energy performance will begin to pop up in countries around the world.
Rendering courtesy of R8 Properties.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Walmart establishes sustainable product index to evaluate 'greeness' of products
Walmart today announced plans to develop a worldwide sustainable product index during a meeting with 1,500 of its suppliers, associates and sustainability leaders at its home office. The index will establish a single source of data for evaluating the sustainability of products.
| Aug 11, 2010
9 rooftop photovoltaic installation tips
The popularity of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) panels has exploded during the past decade as Building Teams look to maximize building energy efficiency, implement renewable energy measures, and achieve green building certification for their projects. However, installing rooftop PV systems—rack-mounted, roof-bearing, or fully integrated systems—requires careful consideration to avoid damaging the roof system.
| Aug 11, 2010
USGBC’s Greenbuild 2009 brings global ideas to local main streets
Save the planet with indigenous knowledge. Make permanent water part of your life. Dive deep water for clues to environmental success. Connect site selection to successful creative concepting. Explore the unknown with Discovery Channel’s best known guide. These are but a few of the big ideas participants can connect to at USGBC’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, taking place on November 11-13, 2009 in Phoenix, Ariz.
| Aug 11, 2010
Toronto mandates green roofs
The city of Toronto late last month passed a new green roof by-law that consists of a green roof construction standard and a mandatory requirement for green roofs on all classes of new buildings. The by-law requires up to 50% green roof coverage on multi-unit residential dwellings over six stories, schools, nonprofit housing, and commercial and industrial buildings.
| Aug 11, 2010
Great Solutions: Products
14. Mod Pod A Nod to Flex Biz Designed by the British firm Tate + Hindle, the OfficePOD is a flexible office space that can be installed, well, just about anywhere, indoors or out. The self-contained modular units measure about seven feet square and are designed to serve as dedicated space for employees who work from home or other remote locations.
